LOS ANGELES -- UCLA Anderson School of Management announced that it will honor David E.I. Pyott, chairman of the board, president and chief executive officer of Allergan, Inc., with the 2012 IS Associates Executive Leadership Award. The award, given annually by the leading group of information technology professionals in southern California, recognizes senior executives who do an extraordinary job of leading their companies, while exploiting information technology (IT) within their organization. The award will be presented to Pyott at the IS Associates Executive Leadership Award Dinner on December 12, 2012, at the UCLA campus.

"Developing and effectively deploying the latest technologies requires innovative leadership from the top of an organization. At Allergan, David Pyott has proven himself to be that type of visionary leader," said Judy Olian, dean of UCLA Anderson School of Management. "This recognition by the IS Associates deservedly recognizes David's constructive use of technology to advance his leadership agenda."

Pyott joined Allergan in January 1998 as president and chief executive officer, and he was named chairman of the board in 2001. During his tenure, Pyott focused the company's strategy on specialty pharmaceuticals and medical devices, helping the company achieve an annual sales growth of approximately 17%.

From the early days as an eye care company, Allergan has grown to be one of the leading innovators in the multi-specialty health care industry, including pharmaceuticals, biologics and over-the-counter consumer products and employs approximately 10,500 employees, with a presence in more than 100 countries.

In addition to his role at Allergan, in 2006, Pyott was bestowed with the honor of Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty the Queen in acknowledgement of his contribution to British business excellence and management skills in the United States. Pyott has been honored with several awards over the years; in 2009 Harvard Business Review ranked him #50 of the Best-Performing CEO's in the world, #1 CEO in Specialty Pharma by Institutional Investor magazine in 2005 & 2007. Also, Allergan was rated by Forbes as #6 on the list of Best Managed Companies in 2006. In 2010, he received an honorary degree, the UCI Medal, and the Moacyr Alvaro Gold Medal for services to Brazilian ophthalmology.

"UCLA Anderson IS Associates is very excited to honor David Pyott as he has consistently leveraged information technology to create a sustainable competitive business advantage for his organization," said Rob Devers 2012 Chair, UCLA Anderson IS Associates. "He has worked closely with his IT team to implement significant technology advances throughout his organization in support of his business strategy, cost reduction, innovation and customer satisfaction in a highly regulated environment where quality is crucial."

About IS Associates

UCLA Anderson IS Associates was established in 1978 as a professional partnership between UCLA Anderson School of Management and corporate and governmental enterprises. It is dedicated to the more effective management and understanding of information systems, and the leadership of the IS function. The organization involves senior executives, leading consultants and suppliers, and faculty, staff and students of UCLA Anderson in a program of information-sharing and education. Membership is open to organizations involved in the professional application of information systems to business and government. For more information, please visit: www.isassociates.org.

About UCLA Anderson

UCLA Anderson School of Management is among the leading business schools in the world. UCLA Anderson faculty members are globally renowned for their teaching excellence and research in advancing management thinking. Each year, UCLA Anderson provides a distinctive approach to management education to more than 1,800 students enrolled in its MBA, Fully-Employed MBA, Executive MBA, Global Executive MBA for Asia Pacific, Global Executive MBA for the Americas, Master of Financial Engineering, doctoral and executive education programs. Combining selective admissions, varied and innovative learning programs, and a world-wide network of 37,000 alumni, UCLA Anderson develops and prepares global leaders. Follow UCLA Anderson on Twitter at http://twitter.com/UCLAAnderson, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/uclaanderson